


Misa's Trials

by moonphase9



Category: Death Note
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-09
Updated: 2014-03-09
Packaged: 2018-01-15 03:47:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1290112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonphase9/pseuds/moonphase9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Misa is a milkmaid who has the chance to marry the handsome Prince Light. However, before she can, he tells her she must compete three terrible trials involving dragons, monsters and Death. Can Misa do it and marry her man? Three shot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Misa and the Dragon

Mary Kenwood was a Lioness, no better than a Lioness, she was a Sphinx. No one held her down, bought her down, rained on her parade or put her under their thumb. She wasn't just a Lioness, she was also an Eagle; this Lioness could fly baby, and God help the fool that tried to stop her!

Mary, like so many free creatures, died quite young and quite tragically.

Live Fast, Die Young… as Nick Romano said.

Mary Kenwood had many reasons for being the type of creature she was, but when boiled down to its most basic atom, the reason was because of a fairytale her single parent mother had told her just one time as a child. She had forgotten the story itself as an adult, though its moral remained. She and her mother fell out, starting with the belly button piercing she had gotten at thirteen. The whole relationship had gone downhill from there.

With the drama and death the Kira case caused, Mary finally decided to go back to her home town in Colorado Springs to talk to her mother. However, due to the whim of a teenage god, she died on the way. No one knew who she was, as she had no I.D. on her, fake or otherwise, at that time. So she was buried as a Jane Doe in a small graveyard in a little town called Coal Creek.

Two years later, Mary's mother died alone in her house, without either of them ever apologising to the other even though both were sorry.

When a five year old Luka had been getting his fairytale, Mary had been a sniffling ten year old.

She was sitting on the kitchen stool as her mother snipped off copious amounts of her pretty blonde hair. The nasty kids at her school, led by that snot bag Gregory Filch, had put bubble gum in it. They had tried washing out as much as possible, but it was not enough.

As she cried quietly to herself over the twin misfortunes of having her hair cut short and knowing that school and the same kids awaited her tomorrow, he mother had a strange stroke of creative energy. Kissing her child's head, she began to tell a tale that slowly stopped the sniffles.

"Once upon a time, in a land far away, there was a Prince. Even though he was the handsomest Prince in the entire world, he was cold hearted and indifferent. His land was barren and covered in snow and ice. But there were no snowball fights or snowmen, no festivities of any kind.

The Prince was hard and cold and serious, like a shard of ice. Every girl in the land wanted to marry the Prince and melt his icy heart."

"Why?" Asked Mary, "to make the snow go away?"

"Unfortunately no," continued mother, slyly snipping away more hair and praying her second born remained distracted. "They wanted to marry him 'cause he was totally cute!"

Mary laughed at the expression; it was the sort of thing her teenaged big sister would always say about boys.

"Well, one young girl, a pretty little milk maid called Misa dearly wanted to stop being a boring old milk maid and become a Princess; Even better if she got to marry a cute Prince. So she travelled all the way to the Prince's Ice Castle to beg the Prince for his hand in marriage.

"Well," said the Prince from his throne of ice, "I suppose a wife may be suitable of a man of my position. But why should I choose you over the other girls?"

"Because Misa dearly loves her Prince!" Cried Misa.

After conversing a little with his raven headed councillor, the Prince decided this wasn't a good enough reason.

"Well if you love me," he said, a slight smirk being the only thing to change his frozen facial expression, "then you will not mind completing these three simple tasks. They are to prove your worth. If you pass them, I will grace you with my hand in marriage."

Misa nodded enthusiastically.

"The first challenge is I want you to collect for me the precious gems known as The Shinigami Eyes."

"B-but they're guarded by a big scary dragon!" She cried.

"Well, if you do not want to marry me…"

"No, please Misa will go…"

And she did.

She walked for a day and a night until the ground turned black due to the scorched earth. This part of the Kingdom was known as Fireland, because of all the flames the dragon would breathe out. No one ever went there but a few daring thieves who had heard of the Dragons lair being filled with treasures, in particular, the fabled Shinigami eyes. The thieves had entered the Fireland, but none had ever returned.

However, Misa was determined to be brave for her Prince.

She walked through the blackened land, until she saw a massive hill. There nothing all that amazing about a hill, but this hill was smoking, as if there were fire inside. Well, it was common sense (or uncommon nonsense) that a smoking hill must have a dragon inside.

"Now to get in."

As she thought this, walking around the hill, looking for some sort of gap or hole, she suddenly fell through the floor.

With a yelp she hit a mini mountain of gold coins. She gaped. All around her was gold and silver and jewels. There was more wealth and riches here than she could of ever imagined. There were a few strange things as well. There were little mechanical birds made out of silver that would catch mechanical mice made of gold. They had little jewels for eyes and crystals for claws.

Walking through this strange habitat, Misa heard loud slurping and burping noises in the far corner. She followed the sounds until she saw it, the dragon. It was a lot prettier than she'd imagined. Its body was long and slender, like a serpent. Every scale was a pale golden colour. Its eyes were a crystalline blue.

It had been noisily slurping at some sweet smelling brown liquid. Misa was not sure what it was but, despite its sweet scent, it did not look very attractive. Licking its lips and rounding upon her, the dragon lazily blew out small puffs of fire watching them with some pride and arrogance.

"Wow, that's impressive!" Cheered Misa. "How do you do that?"

"I am the Lord of Fire," huffed the dragon. "Why are you here, don't you know what I do to thieves?" He gestured elegantly with one of his arms (that also could be forelegs) to a number of small piles of charred human bones.

Misa tried not to run screaming. "Well, yes, but you see I'm not a thief. I'm a buyer. Girls love to shop you know. Is there anything you would like in return for me taking the Shinigami eyes?"

"The Shinigami eyes?" Repeated the dragon, suddenly and magically holding two large red gemstones in his claw. "These are precious." His beautiful blue eyes rolled towards her small figure, "extremely expensive. I do not see what a small milk maid can offer me."

"Well, I notice you have lots of mice and birds," she smiled before adding tentatively, "but I'm sure you would like…real living things more."

The dragon snarled and wrapped its tail tightly around itself. To Misa, it looked as if he were hugging himself.

"It all burnt up didn't it?" Asked Misa . "I bet you didn't mean to…but you destroyed it all. Are you lonely now? Is that why you did not kill me immediately?"

The dragon lowered its head, so their eye levels were equal. "They only came," he gestured to the bones, "to take my things, the same as you. No one stays. I just wanted to show them that I was as bright and talented as they are, but I ruined it all. Now I'm stuck here, in this little hill, all alone forever."

"Who are 'they'?"

"The other dragons of course."

"Well, maybe I can convince them to come visit you."

The dragon raised its head. "If you can do that, then I will give you the Eyes, no problem."

"Deal!"

Climbing back out of the hill, with some help from 'The Lord of Fire,' Misa brushed herself off and headed for the mountains. It was the only place she knew of where dragons lived, aside from the infamous Fireland.

She was very tired from all the walking, but she had to keep going. Her Prince was waiting after all.

When she reached the mountains and was relieved to find them covered in long, grass. Though it was coarser than what she had at home, this was better on her feet than all that hot, hard earth. She began to climb, grabbing tuffs of the grass and heather to haul herself up the increasingly vertical edge. Little grey bugs that looked a little like blue bottles kept sweeping down to look at her before zooming away; as if trying to get an agreed opinion on her. It was highly irritating.

As she hauled herself up to the precipice, she saw a dragon waiting for her. She nearly fell back in alarm, but halted herself from doing so at the last second. Had she of fallen back, she would have fallen back down the mountain.

The dragon was small and squat compared to the Lord of Fire. His eyes were half lidded and a scary pure black that contrasted to his alabaster scales.

"The dragon down there," she pointed, "is sorry for his behaviour. He really would like you and the others to visit him once more."

"No." Answered the white dragon flatly and with a flick of his tail, threw Misa back down the mountain.

Misa screamed as she fell to what should have been her death, however, out of the heavy mist beneath her, a red dragon flew up and gasped her in its mouth before flinging her (quite roughly) up onto its back. She lay attempting to get her breath back, as the creature landed softly on the blackened floor.

Sliding off him, she bowed and thanked it for saving her. This dragon was big, like the Lord of Fire, but had green irises surrounded by a yellow coloured sclera instead of white. However, it still looked quite pretty, as it matched the creature's general colour scheme. It also had a heavier body, more like a lizard than a snake, and two heavy wings on its back (which she was infinitely grateful for.)

"Is he really sorry, and really lonely?" The dragon asked without any introductions or acknowledgment of her thanks. She nodded and the dragon looked eagerly at the distant smoking hill.

"Do you really care what that moody white dragon has to say anyway?" She questioned, hoping her defiance had not been too much (but the thing had tried to kill her…)

The red dragon nodded.

"You're right. I don't care. I'd rather go into exile with him than leave him all alone. Besides," he smiled, "I like smoke. I'll do better than visit, I'll stay with him."

At the Ice Palace, everyone gaped in amazement as the little (and rather stupid,) milk maid arrived with a small bag and a big grin.

The Prince merely raised an eyebrow.

"Your Majesty," she blushed, "I give you the Shinigami eyes!"

Taking the jewels out of the bag the audience cooed in awe. The dark haired advisor took them and analysed them momentarily before nodding to his Prince.

"Well done Misa," the Prince smiled stiffly. He was out of practice. " Now for your next test."

" I don't get a kiss?"

"No."

"Wah-? I-I mean...oh...Not even a break?"

"Not if you want to marry me."

Quietly she sighed as the Prince commanded, "you are to go into the East and get for me The Seed of Rebellion."

"What!" Gasped Misa. "B-but…no one even knows what it looks like!"

However, the Prince and his escorts were already leaving the throne room.

So what choice did Misa have but to obey?


	2. Misa and the Seed of Rebellion

Chapter 2: Misa and the Seed of Rebellion  
The East could not be any more different from the Fireland; it was beautiful and luscious with vast quantities of fruitage and flowers. The only animals seemed to be non-predatory and cute; like bunnies and Fawns and Squirrels.

Only Misa was blind to all this glory and beauty; all she could think of was the Prince and his stupid Seed of Rebellion.

"What is Misa to do?" She yelled at the top of her voice. "I don't know what it is I'm looking for!"

"Hyuk, hyuk, maybe I can help?"

She looked up and gasped. Above her was a beautiful creature- dare she admit, more beautiful than her Prince? He was wearing a shimmering white robe, made out of no material she could recognise. His hair was shoulder length and golden, his whole body seemed to radiate a pure white light, like lightening. Two large, Dove-like wings were what kept him afloat; a sapphire sky his appropriate backdrop.

"Who are you?" Shivered Misa , trying not to fall to her knees from fear and awe.

"Me? Why I am called Raito. Pleased to meet you."

She bowed and tried to ignore her blushing face.

"I am looking for the Seed of Rebellion, Sir."

"Ah, then you are in luck. I am the Master of the Garden in which it resides." The creature landed on the floor and folded its wings behind its back. He motioned for her to follow him, ruby red lips curled into a smile. She pattered next to his long strides wishing desperately hat she were taller and as nearly as graceful as he; cute only stayed cute for so long.

They reached a golden gate and Raito plucked out an equally golden key. "The fairies made this," he said in a honey voice, "talented little things."

Whilst all the land she had just been walking in had been beautiful, this garden blew all that away. It was a dream- like Raito- almost too good to be true. Everything was glossy and vague, like looking at the landscape inside a fish tank- the atmosphere was hazy.

But more than anything was the powerfully spiritual feel the garden gave off.

As if everything they could be touched by the senses was Holy Holy Holy.

"Welcome to Eden," said Raito, as Misa looked in amazement. She wanted to cry with this feeling that was in her chest. It was a love so great it extended above and beyond what words could express, it was larger than herself; if she expired right there, that love would live on, spreading up and out into the atmosphere, into space, where it would reside for all eternity in the cold, in the dark and into the Ultimate Unfathomable Thing to which everything ended and everything begun.

She crouched down on the grass, not understanding her feelings.

A kind hand was placed on her shoulder. She was shocked by its coldness.

Looking up she saw Raito's smiling face; or was it smirking?

Feeling chilled, and not just by his touch, Misa got shakily to her feet.

"No time for that, milk maid, come, the Seed of Rebellion is not far now."

They garden was filled with trees and flowers, but they got to one tree which Misa somehow knew was the centre of the garden. The other ordinary trees created a circle around it as if it were the King of the Garden. Its bark was gold. It was large and crooked as it had been allowed space to grow as twisted as it liked. Every leaf was a deep emerald. Despite its beauty, Misa did not like its twisted trunk or the way the branches seemed to leer down upon her.

Upon its head there was one piece of fruit. A large red apple.

Raito plucked it and offered it to her.

"Here is the Seed of Rebellion you so crave. What are you doing?" His tone changed from inviting to indignant as he saw Misa taking out her small brown pouch.

"Misa is taking these to her Prince." She squeaked as if that should of been obvious. Raito relaxed.

"Yes of course Misa must. But don't you think you should take a bite from it?"

"N-no, Prince did not say I could-"

"Is it really so that Prince said you must not take a bite from any of the fruit in the Garden?"

"Well no…"

"And you are hungry?"

"Yes I am. Misa has walked for so long…but there is lots of fruit about… Misa must obey Prince if she is to be his Bride!"

"The Prince will not marry you," replied Raito ominously. "He lies to get all this free labour from you. But he positively willbe yours if you take but one bite. From the moment you eat it this apple will help make you more powerful, more intelligent. Your eyes will be opened to the truths all around you! You can out do his advisor and make him love you."

"I don't understand," Misa wailed. What about his advisor, about truths, what truths? But she knew, deep down, that her Prince did not love her, and she desperately wanted him to do so!

So she took the apple from the creature's cold hands.

He and the tree seemed to lean in and the rest of the garden held its breath as Misa stared at the apple and slowly began to raise it to her lips.

However for what Misa lacked in intelligence, she made up for in gut feeling. She had noticed the sudden drop in atmosphere. The rustling leaves seemed ominous.

And there was something else. Something that had bothered her from the moment she had first arrived.

There were no animals here. No animals. No birds. No bugs. Nothing. Why was, apart from the vegetation, everything gone? She turned her brown eyes to Raito. He seemed… different. Like he was two people instead of one. He was an illusion, like the Garden.

She stared and he frowned.

"What are you waiting for, hyuk-hyuk, eat it!"

She threw the apple to the ground, where it turned black, its orange insides oozing out like pus.

"You're a monster!" She screamed and suddenly the garden melted.

It all turned into a white desert. A few black and dead trees stood lonely and broken in the desolate landscape. Only the golden, twisted tree stood, proud and arrogant, laughing at the gardens misfortune. Where Raito had once been were now three individuals, all of whom looked very different from the other.

"Congratulations," they said simultaneously. "You have discovered us. You may call us Trinity. We are Ryu, Ryuuk and Raito. How do you do?"

The one called Ryu picked up the apple. "Sure you don't want it?" Trinity asked.

"I don't understand," said Misa not for the first time that day (that hour even), "are you one person or three?"

"We are three parts of the same thing." They answered. "Now then, to business, why should we let you have the seed? You don't even want to eat it."

"The Prince does."

"Do not lie to us. We are the Father of the Lie." They said with some pride. "Your Prince wants to lock it up. To use its properties so no one will ever betray him. But it is ours."

"Well, come to the Ice Palace with me. You can guard it there."

"Why?"

"Well, you will have a great more people to tempt, being in the centre of the Kingdom."

Trinity looked at each other.

"Agreed."

"Misa, I did not want three men on top of the Seed," complained the Prince as soon as she arrived back at the Palace. But before she could say anything, Trinity suddenly shape shifted into a three headed black dragon. It roared, but instead of fire, gushes of water poured out of its mouths, creating a river in the chamber.

While the courtiers all screamed and cried out, the Prince and his advisor remained stock still. The waters sloshed at their feet, while the advisor whispered in the Prince's ear and he nodded.

"Misa, we will accept the guardians of the Seed."

"Yay!"

"Now for your final test. I want you to go to the Northern Marshes and collect for me The Book of the Dead."

"Th-the one guarded by the Gremlins?"

"That is correct."

"But they are the spawn of the demon Grendel!"

"I know milk maid. But remember, after this task, you will be my wife."

With this encouragement, Misa set off for her last task.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N- So I'm going to talk about why I did certain things in this chapter (avoid! It's boring! Lol.)  
> First of all, why did I use the name Raito here, where in the rest of the story the character who is clearly 'Light' is called 'Prince.' Well, I didn't think it was important to name all the characters. And this AU infringes slightly in the canon world (in a way) and I didn't want Wedy's mum being some sort of seer.
> 
> Still, why Raito? And why Ryu? (As opposed to Light and L, and the fact that Raito was technically Ryuuk?)
> 
> Well, the simple answer is alliteration; Ryu, Ryuuk and Raito all sound similar.
> 
> I'm certain it was no accident that these three characters are a sort of triad in the anime and manga. They were all were outsiders, all were intelligent, all were bored which, more often than not, led them making poorer or life-threatening decisions, all were egotistical and all were liars (or at least i the case of Ryuuk, evaders of the truth.) So I needed to keep their names the same to help emphasis the triad/trinity idea.
> 
> Why Trinity/Triad? Well, I'm sure many of you noticed the religious connotations in this chapter. I wasn't being blasphemous (i.e. connecting the Trinity- God, the spirit and Christ- to three evil creatures) but I was thinking of the triad or trinity gods that often featured in mythology. These gods were usually a mixture of good and evil. When Christianity came to the Isles of Britain, these gods devolved into being 'demons.' An example of this is Grendel and his mother from Beowulf. If you investigate them, they can be traced to Aesir fertility deities. However, with the Christian values hastily and somewhat artlessly thrown into the Beowulf saga, it is said that Grendel is the descendant of Cain- the first born human and first murderer. I thought adding this Triad into the story, which is my attempt at a (Death Note based) folk or fairytale, would follow in fairytale-writers footsteps.


	3. Misa and the Book of the Dead

It took four days and four nights for Misa to travel to the Northern hemisphere. All of it was covered in black forests and wet, vast marshland. No one lived up there except for the Gremlins and other unnamed monsters and demons.

She struggled through the dreary marsh, mist settling in form the sky. Her skin was cold and clammy and the atmosphere was making her sick.

"But I have to do this," she thought mournfully, "for my Prince…"

The place stank, everything was rotten and dying. It felt as if, slowly, all the happiness was seeping out of her. Suddenly a crow flew down in front of her and landed on a small dead tree (though it could hardly be called a tree; more like a large, white and twisted stick.)

WHERE ARE YOU GOING? It asked without speaking.

"I need to find the Book of the Dead. Do you know where it is?"

I DO NOT. HOWEVER, THE WITCH OF THE MARSH MIGHT.

"Could you lead me to her?"

YES. BUT I ONLY WILL IF YOU OFFER ME SOMETHING.

She searched in her small and humble brown pouch. "I have only a bit of bacon and bread left."

GIVE ALL OF IT TO ME.

Even though she was very hungry, and had been saving this morsel, she gave it over to the creature. After he had gobbled it down ferociously, it set off into the air, Misa trying to run after it, which was difficult in the long grass and sucking mud.

At last it settled amongst a small hill of branches and gorse. She went through a small opening and saw a figure huddled over a boiling pot. The figure was completely covered in white sheets.

"Erm, excuse me, Miss Witch? I was wondering if you knew where the Book of Dead was?"

"It belongs," whispered the creature, "to the creatures who reside in the Land of Sheol."

"Where is that?"

"Not far from here," the witch answered vaguely, getting to her feet and approaching the milk maid. Sitting in front of her, a scabbed hand from the white veils stroked across Misa's cheek. "What will I get for my help?"

Misa tried not to blush as the strokes became caresses. "Wh-what would you like, Miss Witch?"

"I am diseased," the creature answered. She pulled the white robes away to reveal a thin, vaguely female body riddled with leprosy. The smell was appalling. "I have had no human contact in many, many years. I want to feel flesh against flesh, warm body heat, a heart beating next to mine. Give that to me and I will tell you how to get to Sheol."

Misa got shakily to her feet desperately afraid. The creature opened her arms. Taking off her coat, Misa embraced the witch, holding her breath against the smell and trying not to think of the highly contagious disease.

The witch sighed contentedly, lifting a hand and twisting Misa golden locks. "So beautiful," she murmured, her breath tickling down Misa's neck and back. She shuddered with revulsion, but the witch seemed not to care and pulled their bodies closer together.

"I will do more than tell you the way," she continued in her husky whisper, "I can tell you now that marrying your Prince will not be good for you." She pushed Misa away, Misa's body immediately becoming less taut and stressed. "But you will discover this yourself," the witch continued. "Sheol is a graveyard where every lost soul goes to when it dies. The demons Mu and Gehenna rule it. They have the Book of the Dead. Just know that your Prince is making his version of a perfect world, that is why he is asking you to collect all these items."

"A perfect world?" Gasped Misa, hope lighting her tired face, "for me and he to live in forever and ever?"

The witch looked at her with old eyes, "no, Misa. The Prince already sees his Kingdom as perfect. He wants to expand it." She paused. "Ask the demons what the Book of the Dead does. Then try and take it from them, if you still want to." She pressed a kiss to Misa 's unwilling forehead. "Goodbye Misa. Follow the Crow to Sheol."

Misa and the Crow travelled in silence; Misa wondering if it was a servant of the witch. It must have been, as it was obeying her now. Maybe it had been scouring the land, looking for anything living to take to its lonely mistress. And it had gotten food out of it too.

Soon they arrived at a graveyard so big it trailed off into the distance. There was no end of gravestones.

IT IS WHERE ALL THE LOST SOULS GO. THERE ARE MORE LOST SOULS THAN ANY OTHER KIND OF SOUL

The feathered creature clarified as it swooped down and settled itself on the top of a gravestone.

GEHENNA AND MU ARE OVER WHERE THOSE FIRES ARE BURNING. CAREFUL THEY DO NOT THROW YOU IN.

"Why would they?" She gasped.

It cocked its head at her, its beady eye shinning in the distant firelight.

ALL SINNERS GET THROWN INTO THERE.

"Misa is no sinner!" she began to testify with vehemence, but the crow was evidently bored and flew away without listening to her.

Gehenna and Mu had spotted the milk maid miles away. Waiting patiently for her to arrive they bought the Book of Dead and placed it in front of them. Living souls only willingly came to Sheol for one thing; power.

Misa was a little surprised by how they looked. First of all, apart from being gigantic, they looked, well, human.

Gehenna was a female with a well-shaped handsome face, short brown hair and dark eyes. Mu was a male with long black hair, a bookish but handsome look and glasses. Both looked like refined librarian types who sip tea all day and discuss politics and the latest high brow novel, not gigantic monsters from hell.

"Excuse me, but Misa would like to have the Book of the Dead." She looked at them with tired eyes, uncertain of what she could offer them. No way would her Prince let them into the Palace, and besides which they had to remain in the domain of Sheol.

"You can have it milk maid," said Mu, shocking Misa. "But you must stay here and one of us must go back to the Ice Kingdom."

"But Misa has to marry her Prince!"

"Well," Gehenna smirked her voice condescending, "either I or Mu will instead. Too bad, little one."

Misa paused and tried to think. She wasn't fantastically clever (though she had wiles enough) and the last few days had put her under enormous strain. "Please, what does the Book of the Dead do?"

"It kills anyone whose name is written in it and turns its owners into Gods. Your Prince will become one of us."

Misa thought about what the white witch had said. "Will he be able to spread his kingdom?"

"Of course."

Misa thought back to her land, dreary and cold, covered forever in ice and snow but with no happiness. Even her Prince would not be happy, married to her or a false copy of herself, because he did not love her. She had figured that out since the second task.

Suddenly she felt like trying not to cry.

What should she do?

She dearly wanted to live her fairytale, but seems that life simply would not let her. If she took to him the Book of Dead, how many would she doom to an eternity of ice? More importantly, would she not doom her own lover?

Suddenly, the crow fell down to her feet.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? It asked.

"I don't know!" She cried, finally letting the tears fall. "Misa wants to be a good person! But I so badly want to be happy as well!"

WILL YOUR PRINCE MAKE YOU HAPPY?

"Of course." She sat on the dirty mud and filth looking at the crow. "He will make me a Princess. That will give me status and power. He will be my husband meaning I'll have love. I- I am very lonely Mr Crow. Since my parents died…I have been so very alone." She put her head in her hands, "but I do not want to be bad. I'm so uncertain."

YOU ARE AT CROSS ROADS. I CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT TO DO. BUT SO YOU KNOW ASIM, YOU ARE A LIONESS. YOU ALREADY HAVE POWER AND STATUS RESPECT AND LOVE.

WHO FACED UP AGAINST THREE DRAGONS?

WHO HELPED A DRAGON FIND FRIENDSHIP ONCE MORE?

WHO CLIMBED AND THEN FELL FROM A MOUNTAIN?

WHO RESISTED THE DEVIL?

WHO WAS BRAVE IN FRONT OF A WITCH?

WHO WAS BRAVE ENOUGH TO GIVE HER A PORTION OF AFFECTON?

THESE THINGS AND ALL THE SMALL MIRACLES AND ACTS OF BRAVERY IN BETWEEN…YOU ARE NOT IN NEED OF A PRINCE, MILK MAID. YOU MERELY WOULD LIKE ONE.

"Yes," she agreed, standing once more and wiping her eyes with the back of her hands. "And this is my crossroad. Want and Need. I will take the Book."

The crow made no reaction, but the demons (who had been listening in avidly) grinned and passed it to her.

Slowly she looked at it, contemplating her situation.

"He will become even colder.

Colder than the ice that surrounds him.

He will use the Shinigami eyes.

The devil will have him eat the apple.

The whole world will become ice.

And he would kill me, should I become his bride.

Eventually, after spending years in the dark and realising that he hates it as much as everyone else."

And with those ruminations, she finally came to a decision threw the book into the Fires of Hell.

The whole place exploded.

Misa's broken body, which had been flung into the air by the explosion, began to twist and turn and glow.

It seems that fate had decided that Misa had earned something better than a Prince she barely knew and a false marriage based on looks and prestige.

She began to turn into something else. The strength she took to travel no matter how hard the journey began to force itself into her physically; Powerful paws, a heavy thick body full of muscle. Her foresight and forbearance made itself known in her eyes; Her eyes became gold coloured and could see for miles around, feathers grew where her hair had been. And finally the decision to choose freedom, for all the people of the world and herself, made itself known in two great wings suddenly opening on her back.

Soon she was not a lifeless body being flung through the air, but a Griffin flying over the land.

Looking down she saw the Ice Palace was melting, the garden of Eden spreading grass and flowers. Two dragons, red and gold, were rebelliously burning and melting the snow and ice away.

Circling she saw her Prince. He looked up at her, his eyes full of wonder. As always his dark haired advisor stood beside him. Seeing her, they both dropped on to one knee and bowed their heads.

She accepted their obeisance.

"I must go now," she thought wth a voice much older and wiser than her previous one, "there is so much of the world I have to see."

The Palace burned down and the land became fruitful and beautiful. The Seed was soon locked away as a last command by the Prince. Sheol remained a burned and distant land. The dragons were as free as the people, the Shinigami eyes returned to them. There was no Prince or Princess, now that the snow was gone the ice around his heart had melted and the former Prince had fallen in love. He lived a new humbler and simpler life with his dark-haired lover.

Over it all the wise and unbiased White dragon would watch from its perch on the mountains.

As for Misa, no one ever saw her again. But it can be assumed that she lived a long and happy and wise life.

***************************************************************

"So no one knows what happened to her?" asked Mary, completely unaware of her new short hairstyle. Her mother shook her head. "And she never married?" The girl continued, sounding very shocked.

"Well, we don't know," answered mother Kenwood, "but does it matter?"

"No." Smiled Mary. "Not at all."

The next day, Mary got expelled from school for punching Gregory Filch in the face.

She and her mother had gone out for ice cream to celebrate.

Though the story was forgotten, it was this memory, this simple memory, that remained with Mary; even when she changed her name to Wedy; even when she worked as a thief and then later for L. Even as she lay dying on the road she could taste the strawberry sweetness of the ice cold treat.

And then her world went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N. I apologise for any spelling errors. If anyone wants me to write this in more/better detail let me know. Did anyone recognise who Mu and Gehenna were? Did anyone guess who the silent, dark-haired assistant of the Prince was? Or who the dark haired lover might be? :3
> 
> I hope you all liked it anyway. Please leave a comment.


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